At the dawn of the new millennium, the Los Angeles Lakers were the epitome of NBA success, clinching three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002 and etching their name among the league’s most storied dynasties.
However, the winds of change swept through the team post-2004 as they bid farewell to Shaquille O’Neal, sending the legendary center to the Miami Heat, while Kobe Bryant remained to spearhead the Lakers’ future endeavors.
O’Neal, not one to slow down, captured another championship with the Heat and continued to make his mark across the league with various teams, including a notable stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers alongside LeBron James.
Reflecting on this chapter of his career during a discussion on his podcast, O’Neal mused over what might have been: “If I had met him two years earlier, we definitely could’ve won.”
The prospect of James and O’Neal joining forces in their prime tantalizes basketball aficionados, hinting at a partnership that could have mirrored the dominant era of the early 2000s Lakers.
“The way he ruled was, like, actually perfect,” Shaq continued. “That’s why, you know, when they talk about LeBron being one of the best ever, I do agree.”
While the sports world can only speculate on the potential of a prime O’Neal-James duo, it’s a compelling narrative that stirs the imagination, pondering what could have been another dynamic chapter in NBA history.